Start classes early in morning; make children to shiver in cold classrooms

1/10/2017 11:47:55 PM

Jehangir RashidEarly Times Report

SRINAGAR, Jan 10: At a time when the whole Kashmir valley is reeling under severe cold wave, students in the valley are put to trouble since they are being asked to report to private coaching centres early in the morning.Reports said that children receiving coaching at the private coaching centres are facing huge problems since their classes start at a time when most of the people are sleeping due to intense cold conditions. The coaching classes for the students start as early as 8 in the morning, thus putting the students and their parents to trouble.The owners of private coaching centres have given a damn to the directions of the education department to start the coaching classes late in the morning. Although, the education department has asked to commence the coaching classes from 11 AM onwards, the classes start early in the morning."My son who is receiving coaching at a coaching centre in the Parraypora has to leave at 7:30 AM. Few days back when there was snowfall I had to accompany my son to the coaching centre as the weather condition was very bad. It seems the orders issued by the education department with respect to the timing are limited to the four walls," said Mushtaq Ahmad, a parent.The parents have also complained that there are no heating arrangements in the coaching centres and as such the children are left to shiver in the classrooms. They said that despite paying hefty sum as fees towards the coaching the arrangements are zero at these coaching centres."I was directed by the staff of a coaching centre to pay the entire fee in one go and I had to oblige them. But when it comes to providing facilities like heating arrangements the coaching centres score a big blob. Despite making many requests no difference has been made and the children continue to suffer due to cold and that too during severe phase of winter season," said Zahoor Ahmad, a parent.Some of the parents also complained that the coaching centres never adhere to the schedule and don't complete the syllabus of different classes on time. They said while the coaching centres in Jammu complete the syllabus on time there is no such provision in Kashmir."It has been observed over the years that the students receiving coaching at Jammu complete their syllabus on time while as their compatriots in Kashmir face an inordinate delay of many months. This affects career prospects of the students more so of those who have to appear in different competitive examinations," said Mohammad Yusuf, a retired teacher.The education department had asked the owners of coaching centres to put in place proper heating arrangements at their centres. However, this direction too has been given damn by the owners of coaching centres. Director, School Education Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat did not bother to respond to repeated calls from Early Times.